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Knowing the Safety Features of Your Car

Back 50 years ago, cars did not have the safety features that they have now. There were no seat belts, car seats, or the structural protection that exists today. Here are some features that you should know about.

Seat Belts

Seat belts are very important to the safety of the passengers in your car. You should make it a habit to check that everyone is buckled in before turning on your car and require that passengers in your car, including other adults, have seat belts. Your friends will learn quickly that it’s a rule. This safety feature is essential to keeping passengers safe in the event of an accident, so it shouldn’t be ignored.

Airbags

A newer safety feature is airbags. In the event of an accident, the airbag deploys to help keep you from hitting the dash, steering wheel, or window. Some vehicles have more airbags than others, including airbags in front of both the driver’s seat and passenger’s seat as well as on the sides. Some even deploy from the roof. They can cause injuries, but these injuries are less severe than if you didn’t have them. Make sure if you are in an accident in Chicago to contact a Chicago accident attorney to handle your case.

Hazard Lights

In case you are in an accident, or need to pull over to the side of the road for any reason, hazard lights can alert other drivers of your presence to increase your chances of not being hit. Although a small thing, hazard lights are essential to your safety.

Safety features in cars are getting better and better all the time.

Filed Under: Precautions, Travel Tagged With: , , , ,

Is Your Car Really Safe?

Post-deployment view of a SEAT Ibiza airbag

Image via Wikipedia

You’ve put a lot of research into buying a new car. But is it really safe? Understanding and looking out for hidden dangers can make the difference.

Hidden Dangers

Many parents aren’t aware of the dangers that something as simple as power windows pose for children. Most problems are with cars that have rocker or toggle controls. The danger presents itself when a child sticks his head out the window and then leans on the switch, causing the window to come up and choke him.

This danger is easily remedied. You can prevent a child from getting caught by having a car with pull up/push down switches or a window that automatically reverses. Pay close attention to the type of switches and their location.

If you’re not looking to buy a new vehicle, there are still steps you can take. Use the lockout switch so that you, as the driver, are the only one who can control the windows. In addition, when you’re moving windows up and down, be aware of your passengers.

Features there to protect you, unfortunately, can create another risk — if they’re used incorrectly. As airbag lawsuits show, a prime example is the airbag. This, of course, doesn’t mean you should avoid airbags. They’re potentially life-saving devices that create an added layer of protection in case of a crash.

To make sure your car is safe, you’ll need to make sure your airbags are present and functioning properly. Airbag injuries usually come from one of three situations: the manufacturer didn’t install airbags in the car, the airbag didn’t deploy when necessary, or the airbag did deploy, but in a low-impact crash.

When it comes to car safety, out of sight should not equal out of mind. Check on all features of the car, even if they aren’t obvious.

Filed Under: Highway Miles, Laws Tagged With: , ,